New forum member found a Parker In connecticut

[Aaron Bernstein]

Hi all, so this past weekend I was home from college helping a friend recover from some surgery (she's fine btw) when her father asks if I would take a look at some old guns he has hanging around. He brings 2 savage a5 copys, a winchester 61 and an old double shotgun out of the basement. Covered in dust and rust and filled with spiders. He tells me that they were his father's but they don't mean anything to him. I picked up the double first (always wanted one but can't afford it, even the stogers) As soon and I saw Parker bros meriden I immediately put it down, went outside, screamed, went back in and asked how much he wanted for lot. He said his wife wanted them out of the house so I could just take them if I want. (insert the biggest dirt-eating grin here)
I told him that I would do some research and see if any of them were good (i just needed to calm down a bit)
I went home found this forum and educated myself, it's a Parker Trojan 1928 about 10-20% original finish, lockup is tight, everything works, bores are dirty but not pitted. So I figure about $400 up.
I came back told him that is quite valuable, and offer him $500 for the lot. He refused my money and said that they aren't worth anything to him so If I take them and enjoy them that will be enough! Wow
Having just picked up my permit (you need one for everything in CT) I called the state , got the right paperwork, sales authorization numbers, t's crosses I 's dotted. Copys to the state police, local police, me, him. And home they came

It's a 12 ga #2 i gave it a good rub down with ballistol and 0000 steel wool, and there's more blue under that rust! Nice and shiny bores, and some case color on the water table and under the lever. I'll make a thread in the main board re condition and restoration with pictures.

Hopefully it will be a great shooter.

Thanks

[Mills Morrison]

Good for you. It is amazing what a little steel wool and oil will do.

[Dennis V. Nix]

Congratulations. You did very well.

Dennis

[Mills Morrison]

That would make a great duck gun . . . or turkey gun too.

[Aaron Bernstein]

That would make a great duck gun . . . or turkey gun too.

can you shoot steel shot in an old fixed choke like this?

i thought that was a no-no so if I go waterfowl hunting with it i'd have to use that expensive bismuth or tungsten stuff right, well so much for that. i'll stick to upland or birds of the clay variety

thanks for the warm welcome though

[Rick Losey]

no steel -

bismuth - nice shot - and so on

[Mills Morrison]

I use Kent Tungsten Matrix with my vintage guns with fluid steel barrels such as yours.

[Aaron Bernstein]

no steel -

bismuth - nice shot - and so on

thanks thats what i figured, i think my best bet would be to buy lead shot and reload a few with nice shot or other. (hmmm now i need to find someone who needs to get rid of a loading press)

I use Kent Tungsten Matrix with my vintage guns with fluid steel barrels such as yours.
ouch and I thought walmart ammo was expensive Cabela's has these for $5 a shell :shock:

[Frank Cronin]

Congrats! How about some pictures?

[Erick Dorr]

Aaron, Congrats on your first Parker and an interesting haul. Looking forward to seeing the photos.
Erick Dorr

[Aaron Bernstein]

Wow lots of interest here! I have pics posted in the general forum
http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12548

I figured I'd get more traffic over there but it seems i'm getting plenty of attention here as well.

As for the future of my first shotgun (i picked a good one huh) I think i'll skip the restoration and have this as an i-earned-this-patina fun gun, maybe for some hunting as well.

[edgarspencer]

At the risk of upsetting those who bleed Parker, the Winchester Model 61, if in decent shape, and un-drilled, is the most valuable of the bunch.

[Aaron Bernstein]

At the risk of upsetting those who bleed Parker, the Winchester Model 61, if in decent shape, and un-drilled, is the most valuable of the bunch.

It's far from decent shape

http://i.imgur.com/HfmjpJ3.jpg?2

cleaned up pretty well though, will definitely be a sweet shooter, but UGLY

[edgarspencer]

It's far from decent shape

http://i.imgur.com/HfmjpJ3.jpg?2

cleaned up pretty well though, will definitely be a sweet shooter, but UGLY

I have yet to see an Ugly Winchester. They are one of my three main collecting marques, and I never stop looking at them. I think 50 is enuf for now.

[Aaron Bernstein]

Congrats! How about some pictures?
Looking forward to seeing the photos.
Erick Dorr
oh alright

http://i.imgur.com/U8eY4IM.jpg?1
That was my OMG moment
http://i.imgur.com/1unVtJIl.jpg
The Winchester, see above post for the worst of it, the internals are surprisingly clean except for a few cobwebs
http://i.imgur.com/vesSVKQl.jpg?1
shell lifter from the Savage 775a 16ga more signs of 30 years in a basement
http://i.imgur.com/IXigdaz.jpg?2
After a few hours with Ballistol and some 0000 steel wool
http://i.imgur.com/Y01isbtl.jpg?1
Here's the lot L to R: Savage 755a 16ga Super Choke, Savage 720 pre-war 12ga (copy of an Auto-5), the Winchester 61(looking much better), and finally the 1928 Parker Trojan #2 12ga.

they will all be cleaned up and used enough to make up for 30+years they've been unfired, rusting in a basement or the previous 20 years they were in a closet in a beach house. because you know what's good for guns salty air:banghead:

they say that you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth does that mean you shouldn't look a gift gun down the bore?

i shoud really stop complaining i've seen people spend more money than I make in a month on guns in worse shape than this

[Rick Losey]

looking good Aaron

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Aaron, You did well, both with the find and the cleaning, enjoy them they will last you your lifetime, Gary

[Mike Franzen]

What an awesome story Aaron. Now to really start your journey into the world of Parker Bros shotguns take $40 and send in to become a PGCA member. It's the finest gun collector/hunter/shooter organization there is IMHO. AND, you get access to the FOR SALE section where you will find your reloader and many other things you won't see for sale anywhere else.

[Daniel G Rainey]

Seems as if you got your Christmas present a few days early. Shoot and enjoy. Dan

[Dean Romig]

In about 1960 I learned to shoot a SXS with a borrowed 28" Trojan 12. Shot pheasants, puddle ducks, rabbits, and woodcock with it for three or four years.
They're great guns!





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[edgarspencer]

I love the enthusiasm in this, a now nearly two year old thread. We haven't heard from the OP since he got the gun back then, 23 months ago.

[Dean Romig]

Have you had your pain meds yet today Edgar?...:whistle:

By the way, are you coming up for the New Year's Day shoot in Barrington NH?


*** shuddering in anticipation of his caustic reply***





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[edgarspencer]

By the way, are you coming up for the New Year's Day shoot in Barrington NH?.
To shoot what? The bull? It's scary enough for me to drive the 5 miles to Physical Therapy one handed every other day, so I doubt I'll attempt a 140 mile trip just yet.